NPNEWS archives -- 2003/01/09

Volume 8, Number 1, January 9, 2003

This Week's Contents:

1) NEWS ABOUT NETPRENEUR
     1.1 My Little Calendar Girl
2) REGIONAL NETPRENEURS
     2.1 FreightDesk Supports Customs Security
     2.2 Wireless Communications Products From 3e
     2.3 Votenet's Issue Advocacy Software
     2.4 Wireless Classrooms From eLearning Dynamics
     2.5 Round-up: Quick Hits
     ......news from Blacksmith, Unanet, and Mindwrap
3) FUNDING & FINANCE NEWS
     3.1 Dough Raise Me
     ......more than $70.8 M for 4 local entrepreneurs
     3.2 Life In The Food Chain
     ......SRA Acquires Adroit Systems
     ......Javien Acquires microCreditCard
     3.3 Regional Early Stage Capital Forum
4) WHO'SWARE
     ......news about people at Comtex, VCampus, and Insight

|||||||||||||||||||| 1. News About The Program ||||||||||||||||||

1.1 MY LITTLE CALENDAR GIRL
First, a happy new year to all, and it's started out with some great news about the future of Netpreneur's services. To recap: As we announced last December, although Netpreneur-the-organization is sunsetting, Netpreneur-the-community will live on. Morino Institute continues to host the Netpreneur site while we work with the many, many people and organizations who volunteered to provide new homes for many of our services. The big news this week is that, thanks to Shadi McPherson and the team at DevElements, Inc. in Reston, there will continue to be a Netpreneur Calendar in 2003. Each Friday, Calendar delivers concise descriptions of upcoming business and technology events in the region by email, with links to more detailed information in the searchable online Calendar database at the website, which is accessible anytime. Led by Shadi, the DevElements crew will work with the many organizations who submit events and administer the weekly broadcast that goes out to over 7500 subscribers. A big thanks to Shadi, CEO Andrew Hill, and everyone at DevElements who will be pitching in to help. And, speaking of upcoming events, we can't let the cat out of the bag just yet, but your editor@ suggests you save the morning of February 25. There might be a cuppa joe and some pastry in it for you. Stay tuned.

Netpreneur Calendar: http://netpreneur.org/calendar/calendar.cfm
Subscribe to Calendar email: http://netpreneur.org/calendar/subscribe.asp
DevElements: http://www.develements.com
Recap of Netpreneur's future plans:
http://netpreneur.org/about/future2.html

|||||||||||||||||| 2. Regional Netpreneurs ||||||||||||||||||

2.1 FREIGHTDESK SUPPORTS CUSTOMS SECURITY
(Dunn Loring, VA) FreightDesk Technologies released new software applications to meet the recent Automated Manifest System filing requirements for maritime shipments. The applications enable compliance with current and emerging U.S. government regulations and integrate government reporting requirements into existing commercial supply chain and transportation management systems. FreightDesk's software is already in use with new security-related initiatives at two U.S. government agencies for collecting and analyzing manifest and other logistics data. New regulations require ocean carriers to submit detailed shipment manifest information electronically, which will be used to screen containers for possible terrorist links.
http://www.freightdesk.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2.2 WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS PRODUCTS FROM 3E
(Rockville, MD) 3e Technologies International released three new wireless communications products. The 3e-720 Telephony Gateway is a Voice-over-IP (VoIP) and 11Mbs wireless LAN solution designed for SoHo and residential users that provides complete networking, including VoIP calling, LAN and WAN (DSL/cable) connectivity, Internet access, analog telephone, and an optional energy management package. The 3e-521IP Industrial Wireless Gateway provides wireless networking coverage in a metallic case designed for harsh environments. Lastly, the 3e-250 Bluetooth to RS-232 Cordless Adapter is a self-contained RS232 cable replacement device that allows wireless, cable-free networking of multiple pieces of existing equipment, such as data recorders, computers, and handheld instruments.
http://www.3eti.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2.3 VOTENET'S ISSUE ADVOCACY SOFTWARE
(Washington, DC) Votenet Solutions introduced eConstituent, a software application that helps associations, organizations, and corporations launch and manage grassroots issue advocacy initiatives from their websites. From a single screen, advocates can view letters and recipients and personalize their message. Letters can be emailed, faxed, or printed with a single click. Other features include an Advocacy Address Book that houses customizable target databases, a customizable interface, and compliance with multiple email platforms and congressional web forms, the system some Members of Congress use to manage constituent communications.
http://www.econstituent.com
http://www.votenet.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2.4 WIRELESS CLASSROOMS FROM eLEARNING DYNAMICS
(Washington, DC) eLearning Dynamics (eLD) and Wake Forest University announced an agreement to co-develop a comprehensive two-way classroom management application using Pocket PCs and wireless networks. R&D teams from eLD and Wake Forest will work together to extend eLD's LearnTrac technology from the Palm OS platform to Pocket PC devices using the 802.11b wireless communication network. The resulting product will be marketed exclusively by eLD as Pocket Classroom, the brand currently associated with Wake Forest's classroom response system, which has been downloaded by more than 100 universities and colleges nationwide. Wake Forest has invited schools from K-12 and higher education to apply for participation in the project. Several research institutions and a select group of participating schools in North Carolina will implement demonstration classrooms using the software early next year before nationwide release.
http://www.elearningdynamics.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2.5 ROUND-UP: QUICK HITS

(Reston, VA) Blacksmith released Chartsmith Version 1.1, a charting and graphing solution for Mac OS X. Enhancements include new chart types and integration with Microsoft Excel.
http://www.blacksmith.com

(Fairfax, VA) Unanet Technologies released Version 5.1 of its Professional Services Automation software. Enhancements include an improved two-way Microsoft Project Interface.
http://www.unanet.com

(Flint Hill, VA) Mindwrap released Version 6 of its Optix Workstation for Macintosh, a document management and workflow product. Among other features, the new Macintosh OS X client supports high-speed, high-resolution, dual-sided document scanners.
http://www.mindwrap.com

|||||||||||||||||| 3. Funding & Finance News ||||||||||||||||||

3.1 DOUGH RAISE ME

$50K for Baltimore-based Artifact Software in a second round of investment from the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development's Challenge Investment Fund. Artifact develops software that makes it easier for development organizations to share and reuse components and expertise. The company produces two products: Artifact Management Server, which provides a central repository for managing any type of source code, components, designs, specifications, or Web services; and Artifact Desktop, the client application that provides access to the server. It is the second company for Artifact's founders Mark Wesker, Jasen Fici, and Greg Heard, who formed Sequoia Software in 1992 and sold it to Citrix in 2001.To date, Maryland's Challenge Investment Fund has invested $150,000 in Artifact. The fund is designed to assist small startup companies in the high technology sector and requires the company to provide matching funds. Investments are often repaid in the form of royalty payments or are convertible into stock.
http://artifactsoftware.com

$5.8 million in a Series C round for Roanoke-based ProVox Technologies, a producer of voice recognition documentation software for healthcare providers. The round was led by McLean, VA-based ECentury Capital Partners, with participation by Mid-Atlantic Venture Funds (MAVF), Tall Oaks Capital Partners, and previous investors Southwest One, Monument Capital, and MRW. ProVox's flagship product, TalkNotes, interfaces with practice management billing systems to create an electronic medical chart. It also accelerates normal documentation routines and facilitates the management of medical notes in an electronic environment. It won Microsoft's "Emerging Technology of the Year" award at the most recent Industry Solution Awards for Healthcare.
http://www.provox.com

$11 million in a third round for Sterling-based Anystream, a provider of software that automates media encoding and transcoding. The round was led by Falcon Private Equity and existing investor SCP Private Equity Partners. The investment brings Anystream's total venture capital funding to over $28 million. Anystream's Agility software provides a fully automated software solution for acquiring, archiving, webcasting, managing, and repurposing media assets in broadcast, postproduction, and Internet formats.
http://www.anystream.com

$54 million in a Series C round for Gaithersburg-based Iomai, a biopharmaceutical company developing a new vaccination technology. The round was led by New Enterprise Associates and Essex Woodlands Health Ventures, with a syndicate that included Domain Associates, Technology Partners, MedImmune Ventures, ProQuest Investments, China Development Industrial Bank, SAM Sustainability Private Equity, and others. Iomai's proprietary technology, transcutaneous immunization (TCI), allows delivery of vaccines to the skin using a patch. In its advanced programs, Iomai has targeted vaccines to prevent and treat infectious diseases such as influenza and is in the early stages of research on a cancer vaccine funded by a grant from the National Institute for Standards and Technology.
http://www.iomai.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3.2 LIFE IN THE FOOD CHAIN

-- SRA Acquires Adroit Systems
(Fairfax, VA) SRA International, a provider of IT services to the federal government, signed a definitive agreement to acquire Alexandria, VA-based Adroit Systems for $38.9 million in cash. Adroit is a provider of C4ISR services (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) to U.S. intelligence and defense organizations. In its last fiscal year, ASI recorded revenue of $42.8 million and net income of $2.2 million. All of ASI's current management team and operating divisions are expected to move intact into SRA's Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence (C3I) business unit, one of four units within SRA.
http://www.sra.com
http://www.adroit.com

-- Javien Acquires microCreditCard
(Arlington, VA) Canada-based Javien announced the completion of a merger between its wholly-owned subsidiary and microCreditCard, which has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Javien and renamed Javien Digital Payment Solutions, Inc. The company's hosted service supports subscription and pay-per-view models that allow online content providers to charge for publications such as articles, books, reports, movies, music, and more. Leslie Poole, former CEO of microCreditCard, was named President and CEO of Javien and was appointed to its Board of Directors. Richard Wolfli, former CEO of Javien, will remain as Chairman.
http://www.javien.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3.3 REGIONAL EARLY STAGE CAPITAL FORUM
The Fourth Annual Early Stage Capital Forum will be held on Friday, February 7, at the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center in DC, showcasing capital availability for the region's early through expansion stage technology companies. Sessions will include panel discussions, presentations by technology companies seeking capital, networking, and a closing reception. Attendance is open to the region's entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, angel and private investors, and technology company executives. Confirmed program participants include Carlyle Ventures, Columbia Capital, Core Capital, Intel, Lazard Technology Partners, Riggs Capital, Sterling Capital and Updata Capital.
http://www.dctechcouncil.org/early_stage_capital_forum/

|||||||||||||||||| 4. Who'sWare ||||||||||||||||||

(Alexandria, VA) COMTEX News Network, a provider of real-time news and content solutions, named Stephen Ellis as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Current Chairman Dr. C.W. Gilluly will become Vice Chairman.
http://www.comtexnews.net

(Reston, VA) VCampus, a provider of eLearning solutions, named President and CEO Daniel Neal as Vice Chairman of the Board and Chief of Strategic Partnerships. Nat Kannan, Founder and Chairman of the Board, will assume the additional role of CEO.
http://www.vcampus.com

(Manassas, Va.) INSIGHT, a provider of supply chain planning solutions, named Michael Finley as President. He was most recently Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy serving as Commander of the Naval Inventory Control Point.
http://www.insight-mss.com

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